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Homebody 11:04 AM 02-02-2018
I have two interviews scheduled for tomorrow! One is from my first word of mouth, and I finally got one from a fb post. I feel so out of practice interviewing. I had one interview last month, but before that I hadn't interviewed since September. I used to let the parents read over the policies on their own, and I would just go over the highlights with them. But I wasn't sure if they were understanding everything. So the last interview I read over everything with them, and that was a whole lot of reading! They did sign on with me though. My question is how do you conduct your interviews? Do you read over contract and policies with them word for word, or just kind of skim over them?
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storybookending 12:06 PM 02-02-2018
Originally Posted by Homebody:
I have two interviews scheduled for tomorrow! One is from my first word of mouth, and I finally got one from a fb post. I feel so out of practice interviewing. I had one interview last month, but before that I hadn't interviewed since September. I used to let the parents read over the policies on their own, and I would just go over the highlights with them. But I wasn't sure if they were understanding everything. So the last interview I read over everything with them, and that was a whole lot of reading! They did sign on with me though. My question is how do you conduct your interviews? Do you read over contract and policies with them word for word, or just kind of skim over them?
I usually speak with them on the phone first to weed out any major red flags that I would not be okay with enrolling and then if they pass that I send my contract for them to read over so they can do the same, so to speak. I like to lay everything out beforehand to be sure they are interested enough to chat more to not waste time in meeting only to find my hours or rates will not work for them. If they would then after reading my contract like to set up a time I’m usually pretty flexible in letting them pick a night after closing to drop by with their child so we can chat more and then I just highlight important parts of the contract that they’ve already read that I feel are most important.

I should add that I am fairly new in my career and have a limited number of spaces so I have not yet had to enroll someone that I didn’t know personally or didn’t come from a word of mouth referral from someone that I knew well.
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Homebody 07:37 PM 02-02-2018
Originally Posted by storybookending:
I usually speak with them on the phone first to weed out any major red flags that I would not be okay with enrolling and then if they pass that I send my contract for them to read over so they can do the same, so to speak. I like to lay everything out beforehand to be sure they are interested enough to chat more to not waste time in meeting only to find my hours or rates will not work for them. If they would then after reading my contract like to set up a time I’m usually pretty flexible in letting them pick a night after closing to drop by with their child so we can chat more and then I just highlight important parts of the contract that they’ve already read that I feel are most important.
Yeah, I try to weed out by phone or email too. I like the idea of sending them your contract to read over first. I think I might start doing that as well.
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Indoorvoice 08:24 AM 02-04-2018
I go back and forth. Both times I have sent my policies out before the interview I heard negative feedback. One did not even set up an interview because I sounded too strict in my writing (which was probably a good thing) and the other set up an interview but let me know that I sounded a lot meaner in my policies than I was face to face. I did not sign them on either. The last interview I did in which I signed on a good client, I sent out bullet points on my policies and did a thorough email interview before the face face to face interview. I then went over my full policy handbook during the interview and highlighted key points.
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Ariana 09:04 AM 02-04-2018
I don’t tell them a whole lot before an interview. I feel like once they meet me things go a lot better. I used to give my handbook to everyone who inquired and it worked against me. Face to face I can explain my policies better. I had one dad ask me why I needed such in depth policies (he hadn’t met me yet, his wife had) and I could explain it much better in person rather than have him form his own opinions on it. I basically tour them around my home and explain my setup and policies and answer their questions. Most of my policies come up during the tour. I also get a feel for the type of parent they are by the questions they ask. If it goes well and they seem very interested I send them a pdf copy of my handbook to “answer any questions they hadn’t thought of” and encourage them to to bring up any concerns about my handbook/policies. Then once they want to sign up I give them a hard copy To have on hand.
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Homebody 11:25 AM 02-04-2018
Originally Posted by Indoorvoice:
I go back and forth. Both times I have sent my policies out before the interview I heard negative feedback. One did not even set up an interview because I sounded too strict in my writing (which was probably a good thing) and the other set up an interview but let me know that I sounded a lot meaner in my policies than I was face to face. I did not sign them on either. The last interview I did in which I signed on a good client, I sent out bullet points on my policies and did a thorough email interview before the face face to face interview. I then went over my full policy handbook during the interview and highlighted key points.
Originally Posted by Ariana:
I don’t tell them a whole lot before an interview. I feel like once they meet me things go a lot better. I used to give my handbook to everyone who inquired and it worked against me. Face to face I can explain my policies better. I had one dad ask me why I needed such in depth policies (he hadn’t met me yet, his wife had) and I could explain it much better in person rather than have him form his own opinions on it. I basically tour them around my home and explain my setup and policies and answer their questions. Most of my policies come up during the tour. I also get a feel for the type of parent they are by the questions they ask. If it goes well and they seem very interested I send them a pdf copy of my handbook to “answer any questions they hadn’t thought of” and encourage them to to bring up any concerns about my handbook/policies. Then once they want to sign up I give them a hard copy To have on hand.
You both brought up some very good points that I'm going to consider in future interviews. I can see how sending your policies ahead of time can scare some people off, but at the same time it could weed out clients that you would be wasting your time with interviewing. I keep going back and forth on this as well.
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Blackcat31 08:27 AM 02-05-2018
Originally Posted by Homebody:
I have two interviews scheduled for tomorrow! One is from my first word of mouth, and I finally got one from a fb post. I feel so out of practice interviewing. I had one interview last month, but before that I hadn't interviewed since September. I used to let the parents read over the policies on their own, and I would just go over the highlights with them. But I wasn't sure if they were understanding everything. So the last interview I read over everything with them, and that was a whole lot of reading! They did sign on with me though. My question is how do you conduct your interviews? Do you read over contract and policies with them word for word, or just kind of skim over them?
I e-mail them a family questionnaire first and have them e-mail it back to me. Once I have that in hand I use my interview cheat sheet and highlight policies I know I will need to mention in conjunction with the normal highlights I go over (payment, DO/PU times, illness policy etc).

The questionnaire has questions that don't allow for a yes/no response so it helps alot.

My interview cheat sheet just helps me stay on track and know what I have/haven't discussed yet during the interview.

I fully expect parents to read the handbook entirely and if they choose not to, they'll find out really quickly that not reading it does NOT excuse them from any consequences of breaking policy rules.
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Homebody 12:45 PM 02-05-2018
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I e-mail them a family questionnaire first and have them e-mail it back to me. Once I have that in hand I use my interview cheat sheet and highlight policies I know I will need to mention in conjunction with the normal highlights I go over (payment, DO/PU times, illness policy etc).

The questionnaire has questions that don't allow for a yes/no response so it helps alot.

My interview cheat sheet just helps me stay on track and know what I have/haven't discussed yet during the interview.

I fully expect parents to read the handbook entirely and if they choose not to, they'll find out really quickly that not reading it does NOT excuse them from any consequences of breaking policy rules.
Thanks Blackcat! So, do you send them a copy of your handbook before the interview to go over? Or do you wait until the interview and have them look at it afterwords?

When I email people inquiring about the daycare I ask the general questions like drop off and pick up times, if their child is in daycare and why are they looking, if any allergies and medical issues, if they still nap (older children).

If you don't mind sharing, what other questions do you have in your questionnaire?

I like the idea of a cheat sheet to keep you on track.
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Blackcat31 12:59 PM 02-05-2018
Originally Posted by Homebody:
Thanks Blackcat! So, do you send them a copy of your handbook before the interview to go over? Or do you wait until the interview and have them look at it afterwords?

When I email people inquiring about the daycare I ask the general questions like drop off and pick up times, if their child is in daycare and why are they looking, if any allergies and medical issues, if they still nap (older children).

If you don't mind sharing, what other questions do you have in your questionnaire?

I like the idea of a cheat sheet to keep you on track.
I will share (via private message) in a bit.... my pc is updating and I don’t have access to my forms til it lets me in... lol!
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Homebody 01:04 PM 02-05-2018
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I will share (via private message) in a bit.... my pc is updating and I don’t have access to my forms til it lets me in... lol!
Thank you so much! I appreciate it!
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